“From its vibrant cities to its expansive and diverse natural wonders, Canada is a prime destination that has much to offer. The Government of Canada understands the importance of tourism for economic development and job creation in every region of the country.

“2015 was a great year for tourism, and I’m happy to see that the numbers so far are showing continued increases in tourism spending in Canada for the first quarter of 2016. At $17.7 billion, this represents a 3.5 percent increase in the first quarter compared to spending over the same period last year. This is the 12th consecutive quarterly gain in tourism spending and the largest increase since the second quarter of 2014.

“In the first four months of 2016, the number of international overnight visitors to Canada increased 14.7 percent relative to the same period in 2015, driven by the 17.1 percent growth in overnight arrivals from the United States.

“Tourism revenues from foreign travellers alone increased 11 percent to $3 billion. With new marketing campaigns such as Connecting America, which encourages American travellers to visit Canada, and the launch of the Millennial Travel Program, which calls on Canadian youth to explore their country and share their experiences with the world, we hope to further increase the number of both foreign and domestic travellers.

“Not only is tourism good for our economy but it is also great for job creation. In the first quarter of this year, tourism activities accounted for over 640,000 jobs—an increase of 1.5 percent over the same period in 2015.

“Recognizing the diverse nature of the industry and the significant contributions tourism makes toward Canada’s economic and social value, the Government of Canada remains committed to working with the tourism industry, including small businesses, and Canadians to promote tourism in our country.”

Follow Minister Chagger on social media.
Twitter: @MinofSBT
Instagram: minofsbt

For further information, please contact:
James Fitz-Morris
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Small Business and Tourism
343-291-2700

Media Relations
Innovation, Science and
Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca

Original document:
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1095619&tp=980